Preparation Is Half The Battle

[336Robin]

Potting Focused

How do you get through to someone preparation is half the battle in an 8 ball match? I was approached by a guy at the pool hall, we were both playing by our selves and he asked if we could have a few games. This was a few years ago and now we are very good friends but ever since that first game we played he can't grasp that he has to think ahead, no matter what if he is going to improve. He has listened to what I've said when he's asked about his stance and stroke, and now he has a nice smooth stroke.

Trying to get him to listen with regards to position, patterns, choosing the correct set of balls after the break and planning ahead is another story though. He is more focused on potting...and he is an excellent potter. He has an eye for a pot I just don't have, he doesn't think about it but just hits it, I'm not sure how he aims but its always worked for him so I've never touched on the subject. For someone who has such good potting ability and stroke he rarely runs out past 6 balls, and its a shame. He has real potential, and he's only 19. After the break he doesn't think, and always goes for the easiest shot and tried clearing up those balls even though they are completely screwed for a run out. I've stopped him countless times and said right, don't choose spots, stripes are set for a run out so this is what were going to do. I'll then go from the black ball, and work backwards with him. What do you know, he normally runs out. I've done this hundreds of times with him, and when I don't he reverts back to old habits and takes the wrong option from the start, pots up, gets hooked and makes the table less cluttered for me to work through. I just don't get it. How is he still not planning ahead after so long?

If anyone can help me out with getting through to him it would be a massive help

Pidge,
Potting focus is a big issue. At some point I would hope that your friend with the nice potting skills would start planning and also start spinning the ball. Likely he is shooting the shots he feels comfortable because he knows that center ball will do it.

I would say find a way to make him spin the ball. As he starts realizing that he is controlling the cue ball then he will start to look for solutions to get better shape.

 

[Careyp74]

Unless he is specifically asking you for advice on how to improve, you shouldn't give it. Complaining about losing isn't the same. When an opponent asks me why he just scratched, I will then ask him if he is asking me for advice first. They will pay more attention that way. I also just hate when people will tell me what they would do in a situation. I then say the same thing, "so are you asking me for advice?"

It doesn't sound like he wants to improve his game as a whole. Be patient, and wait for him to ask.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... He has real potential, and he's only 19. After the break he doesn't think, and always goes for the easiest shot and tried clearing up those balls even though they are completely screwed for a run out. ...

As others have said, try straight pool. You have to plan breakouts and such or you'll never get past runs of 5. You should probably play him "20-and-stop" so he's not in his chair for an hour at a time.

 

[Bob Jewett]

The root of his issue may be his ability to carom effectively. Playing carom games is what made Efren the players he is today.... ..

There is the small problem that the guy with the planning problem lives in a country that has no carom tables. Of course he might try playing billiards with the old guys over on the "snooker" table -- it's kind of the same.

 

[CJ Wiley]

improve any type of weakness, whether physical, mental, or even spiritual in nature.

There is the small problem that the guy with the planning problem lives in a country that has no carom tables. Of course he might try playing billiards with the old guys over on the "snooker" table -- it's kind of the same.

I'm not recommending carom games on billiard tables, there's fun ways to practice them on pool tables.

The main objective is to isolate the carom component so you have to practice it on every shot.....this is a vital training technique

to improve any type of weakness, whether physical, mental, or even spiritual in nature. 'The Game is the Teacher'

 

[bstroud]

I agree with CJ.

An easy way to practice caroms on a pool table is with two object balls.

Place both balls anywhere on the table, shoot the first one in the pocket and try to hit the other ball with the cue ball.

Start with the balls close together and as you gain confidence place them further apart.

After you can do that start trying to hit the second ball full on or aim for one side or the other.

You will be surprised how fast your position play improves.

Bill S.

 

[bdorman]

I suspect this has been recommened already:

Play him for $5-10-20 per game or set. Losing money has a way of focusing the mind.

I've got the same problem with some of my playing partners who never think about playing safe. They'll go for a 20% probability combo/bank/etc even when there's a lock-up safe to be made with simple stop shot.

But the pride of winning/losing has most of them now thinking about safety play.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... If anyone can help me out with getting through to him it would be a massive help

You didn't mention whether he can play position at all. Does he have any feel for the speed of the shot to leave the cue ball well? Does he ever use side spin to change the angle off the cushion?

 

[CJ Wiley]

The creative rewards are immeasurable and can be applied to any game.

This is a great drill!!!

I've done the one you described quite a bit and now add another element:

I play to carom the two balls, and drive the first ball I hit so that after the carom it banks into the object ball or cue ball again. This is very advanced, and the creative rewards are immeasurable.

There's a few other drills I do for caroms. One of them is to play 8 Ball with the stipulation that I have to carom into another ball on EVERY SHOT......I may run the table only once every hour or two playing this way, it's especially challenging the closer you get to the 8 Ball.

I agree with CJ.

An easy way to practice caroms on a pool table is with two object balls.

Place both balls anywhere on the table, shoot the first one in the pocket and try to hit the other ball with the cue ball.

Start with the balls close together and as you gain confidence place them further apart.

After you can do that start trying to hit the second ball full on or aim for one side or the other.

You will be surprised how fast your position play improves.

Bill S.

 

[Pidge]

You didn't mention whether he can play position at all. Does he have any feel for the speed of the shot to leave the cue ball well? Does he ever use side spin to change the angle off the cushion?

He has a feel for speed control, positional routes although they're quite basic and not very inventive and he can play with side spin. I may have been a tad harsh in my initial post saying he doesn't think about position. He does. Just not far ahead. In 9 ball he will think about going from the 1 to the 2, but doesn't think about the 3 so ends up wrong side of the 2. Then he will try and spin the ball and power the ball around table for the 3, again not thinking about position needed to get to the 4. Its a vicious cycle of continually getting the wrong side of balls. Its all the more clear in 8 ball however. When he gets closer to the 8 say he has 3 balls left plus the 8 he doesn't think far enough ahead, and will leave himself bad on the key ball and try the spectacular to get the the 8. It happens a lot with him. And the amount of times he's hooked himself on the 8 because I've got all 7 balls on the table is beyond a joke.

Its the trying to get him to think more than 1 ball ahead that's my biggest problem with him, and especially 8 ball when he needs to plan the entire rack out if he's to be successful at it.